Beginning players should remember that it is very important to get into the habit of occasionally disguising your play. When you are first starting out it’s easy to fall into the pattern of making poker too complicated and over-thinking every move, especially if you are playing at lower stakes. Players who are just starting out tend to get a bit worried about the strength of their hand, and that’s not a bad thing.

The point of disguising your play at the poker tables is pretty simple; if you play big pocket pairs the same way every time you’re dealt them some of your smarter opponents will catch on and have a much better clue as to what you’re holding than if you mix up your play from time to time.

If you’re the type of player that will only three-bet (raising after an opponent has bet out) with KK or AA’s, and fold everything else some opponents could pick up on this and then fold their JJ or QQ’s when you attempt to three-bet them.

Mix it up by also throwing in a three-bet with a few other select hands like high suited connectors or Big Slick (AK) or even KQ suited. You’ll become much harder to read, and you will also be able to keep your opponents guessing as to what hand you might be holding.

The same rings true when you call with a small pocket pair hoping to hit a set on the flop. Practice by calling with other hands as well such as AK suited or even KK or AA;s so that your more experienced and savvy opponents who are later to act won’t try to punish you by re-raising big and forcing you to fold your pocket pairs when you don’t have the proper odds to call.

Another term for this common strategy is ‘balancing your range’. It is always a good idea to keep in mind what hands your opponents are able to see you play and show down, and the conclusions that they may be drawing about you as a player.

In the end your primary concern should always be to play good solid poker, but if you are able to disguise your play you will be a much tougher and profitable player when you are able to keep your opponents guessing.